Best examples of scope of work for social media management (SOW templates that actually work)

Real-world examples of scope of work for social media management

Let’s start with what you actually came for: concrete examples of scope of work for social media management that you can adapt for your own proposals and contracts.

Each example of scope of work below is written in contract-ready language. Swap in your own platforms, industries, and metrics, and you’re most of the way to a usable SOW.

Example 1: Monthly social media management retainer (2–3 platforms)

This is one of the most common examples of scope of work for social media management: a monthly retainer where you run a client’s main channels.

Scope of Work – Monthly Social Media Management
Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
Term: Initial 3-month engagement, renewing monthly thereafter

Services included:
The Contractor will:

• Develop a monthly content plan covering 12–16 posts per platform (36–48 total posts per month), including a mix of educational, promotional, and engagement-focused content.
• Write copy for all scheduled posts, including captions, hashtags, and alt text for accessibility.
• Source up to 10 royalty-free or client-provided images per month and lightly edit them (cropping, basic color adjustment, simple text overlays).
• Schedule all approved content using the client’s preferred scheduling tool.
• Monitor comments and direct messages during business hours (9 a.m.–5 p.m. local time) Monday–Friday and respond using agreed brand guidelines, escalating sensitive issues to the client within 4 business hours.
• Provide one monthly performance report summarizing key metrics (reach, engagement rate, follower growth, and top-performing content) with 3–5 recommendations for improvement.

Services not included:
Paid ad creation or management, advanced graphic design, video production, or customer service outside social channels are not included in this scope and will require a separate agreement or addendum.

This style of SOW is clear on volume (number of posts), timing (business hours, monthly reports), and boundaries (what’s explicitly excluded), which is where most social media projects go off the rails.

Example 2: Launch campaign scope of work for a 90-day product launch

Launches are intense, time-bound, and easy to underestimate. Here’s an example of scope of work for social media management focused on a 90-day launch window.

Scope of Work – 90-Day Product Launch Campaign
Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts
Term: 90 days (Pre-launch, Launch Week, Post-launch)

Services included:
The Contractor will:

• Develop a 90-day content calendar for three phases: Pre-launch (45 days), Launch Week (7 days), and Post-launch (38 days).
• Produce and edit up to 3 short-form vertical videos per week (up to 12 per month), optimized for TikTok and Reels.
• Coordinate with the client’s in-house team to obtain product footage, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes content.
• Write all social captions, hooks, and calls to action aligned with the client’s launch messaging.
• Publish daily posts during Launch Week (up to 7 posts per platform) and 3 posts per week during Pre- and Post-launch phases.
• Monitor comments and DMs twice daily during Launch Week, flagging product issues or negative sentiment within 2 business hours.
• Provide weekly performance snapshots during the launch period, then a final campaign wrap-up report with performance vs. baseline and recommendations for ongoing content.

Deliverables:

• 90-day content calendar (shared via Google Sheets or the client’s project management tool)
• Up to 36 short-form videos
• Up to 60 static or carousel posts
• 12 weekly performance snapshots
• 1 final campaign report

This is one of the best examples of scope of work for social media management when you need to show a client how intense a launch really is. It spells out content volume and reporting cadence so you’re not suddenly “on call” 24/7 without being paid for it.

Example 3: Social media management + content creation for a B2B brand

B2B clients typically care less about viral dances and more about leads, thought leadership, and consistency. Here’s an example of scope of work tailored to that reality.

Scope of Work – B2B Social Media & Content Support
Platforms: LinkedIn (primary), X (Twitter), YouTube

Services included:
The Contractor will:

• Develop a quarterly social media strategy aligned with the client’s marketing and sales goals, including target audience profiles and content themes.
• Create 3–4 LinkedIn posts per week (thought leadership, case studies, and industry commentary) from client-provided source materials (webinars, white papers, blog posts).
• Draft 4–6 short X (Twitter) posts per week to support LinkedIn content and share relevant industry news.
• Coordinate with the client’s video team to repurpose existing webinar recordings into 2–3 short YouTube clips per month, including optimized titles, descriptions, and tags.
• Engage with relevant industry hashtags, company pages, and thought leaders on LinkedIn for up to 30 minutes per business day.
• Provide a monthly metrics report focused on profile visits, click-throughs to the website, and content interactions from target job titles.

Exclusions:
Lead form setup, CRM integration, and paid LinkedIn campaigns are excluded and may be quoted separately.

For B2B, your examples of scope of work for social media management should emphasize strategic alignment, repurposing existing assets, and the kind of engagement that actually leads to pipeline, not vanity metrics.

Example 4: Influencer and creator collaboration management

Brands increasingly expect social managers to handle influencer relationships. That’s a different workload than just posting, so it deserves its own scope.

Scope of Work – Influencer & Creator Social Media Support
Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube
Term: 6-month program

Services included:
The Contractor will:

• Identify and vet up to 20 potential creators per month using agreed criteria (audience size, engagement rate, brand fit, past sponsorships).
• Prepare outreach messages and track responses in a shared spreadsheet or CRM.
• Coordinate deliverables with selected creators (post formats, due dates, usage rights), using client-approved briefs.
• Review creator content for brand alignment before posting and route to the client for approval where required.
• Track performance of creator posts (reach, engagement, clicks, and promo code usage where available).
• Provide a monthly summary of creator activity and performance, with recommendations for renewing, pausing, or expanding relationships.

Not included:
Legal contract drafting, payment processing, and tax documentation for creators remain the client’s responsibility unless otherwise agreed in writing.

In 2024–2025, creator work is a growing chunk of social budgets. Clear examples of scope of work for social media management that carve out what you do (coordination, tracking) versus what legal or finance handles can save you from messy disputes later.

Example 5: Community management and social customer care

Some brands want you to “handle the comments,” which can mean anything from answering basic FAQs to triaging serious complaints. This example of scope of work draws that line.

Scope of Work – Community Management & Social Customer Care
Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), TikTok

Services included:
The Contractor will:

• Monitor public comments, mentions, and direct messages on all covered platforms 7 days per week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
• Respond to Tier 1 inquiries (basic product questions, store hours, simple order status checks with provided access) using pre-approved response templates.
• Escalate Tier 2 and Tier 3 issues (billing disputes, safety concerns, legal threats, media inquiries) to the client’s internal team within 1 business hour.
• Maintain an internal FAQ and response template library, updated monthly based on new questions.
• Provide a monthly summary of volume, response times, and common issues.

Response time targets:

• Public comments: Initial response within 2 business hours
• Direct messages: Initial response within 1 business hour during coverage hours

Here, the scope of work is less about content volume and more about response times and issue categories. These are the kind of real examples that protect you from being blamed for things that belong with legal, PR, or operations.

Example 6: Analytics, reporting, and strategy-only engagement

Sometimes a client has an in-house team to post, but nobody to interpret the numbers. This is a lighter-lift, high-value engagement.

Scope of Work – Social Media Analytics & Strategy Advisory
Platforms: All active client social channels (up to 6)

Services included:
The Contractor will:

• Conduct an initial audit of the client’s existing social channels, including content mix, posting frequency, and performance benchmarks over the past 6–12 months.
• Set realistic quarterly KPIs based on historical data and industry benchmarks.
• Create a monthly analytics report summarizing performance trends, with clear, plain-language explanations and 3–5 prioritized recommendations.
• Host a 60-minute strategy call each month to review results, answer questions, and adjust the content approach.
• Provide quarterly competitive snapshots comparing the client’s main channels to 3–5 key competitors.

Exclusions:
The Contractor will not publish content, manage community interactions, or run paid campaigns under this scope.

If you’re looking for the best examples of scope of work for social media management that are higher-fee and lower burnout, this strategy-only model is worth considering.

How to write your own scope of work for social media management (using these examples)

Now that you’ve seen several examples of scope of work for social media management, you can build your own SOW by combining and customizing pieces.

A solid SOW usually covers:

• Platforms and access: Which accounts you manage, and what level of access you need.
• Content volume and formats: Approximate posts per week/month, and types (static, carousel, Reels, Stories, short-form video).
• Approval process: Who signs off on content, how many rounds of revision you include, and how far in advance you submit content.
• Engagement and monitoring: Whether you respond to comments/DMs, during what hours, and what you escalate.
• Reporting: What you report on, how often, and in what format.
• Timeline and term: Start date, end date or renewal terms, and any milestones.
• Out-of-scope items: Paid ads, complex video editing, influencer contracts, PR crises, or anything else that tends to be assumed but not stated.

When you look at the real examples above, you’ll notice they all:

• Use specific numbers instead of vague phrases like “regular posting” or “ongoing monitoring.”
• Separate included work from excluded work.
• Avoid promising specific follower counts or revenue outcomes, which are influenced by algorithms and factors outside your control.

For current guidance on social media trends and content formats, you can cross-check your SOW against industry research. For instance, the Pew Research Center regularly publishes data on social media usage by platform and age group, which can help you justify your platform choices to clients (Pew Research Center – Social Media Fact Sheet).

2024–2025 trends to reflect in your social media SOW

Your scope of work doesn’t live in a vacuum. It should mirror how social media is actually used right now.

Some 2024–2025 shifts to consider in your examples of scope of work for social media management:

• Short-form video dominance: TikTok, Reels, and Shorts continue to outperform static posts for reach. If you’re offering video, define how many clips, what length, and what level of editing you provide.
• Accessibility and compliance: More brands expect alt text, captions, and ADA-aware design. You can explicitly include or exclude accessibility tasks in your SOW. For broader accessibility standards, see resources from the U.S. Access Board (access-board.gov).
• Social as customer service: Customers increasingly expect brands to respond quickly on social when they have questions or complaints. That’s why response-time language, like in the community management example, is worth adding.
• Data privacy and brand risk: With ongoing concerns about data use and misinformation, many organizations now have stricter social media policies. You can reference the client’s internal social media policy and clarify that you’ll follow it. For general guidance, some universities publish public social media guidelines, such as the University of Michigan’s social media policies (umich.edu).

Updating your SOW templates each year to reflect these trends keeps your work aligned with how platforms and audiences actually behave.

Practical tips for using these examples of scope of work for social media management

A few contract-writing habits will make these SOW examples work harder for you:

Anchor everything to time or quantity.
Instead of “frequent posts,” say “3 posts per week per platform.” Instead of “monitor comments,” say “monitor comments twice daily during business hours.” It’s easier for both sides to understand and enforce.

Create standard add-ons.
Many freelancers use a base SOW (like Example 1) and then have add-ons for launch campaigns, influencer coordination, or community management. That way, when a client adds work, you add scope and fees in writing.

Tie reporting to business goals.
If a client’s goal is lead generation, your SOW might emphasize click-throughs and form fills. If their goal is awareness, you might highlight reach and video views. You can align your metrics with broader marketing guidance from organizations like the Small Business Administration (sba.gov).

Protect your boundaries.
Use the “Services not included” sections from the examples of scope of work for social media management above as a checklist. If you don’t explicitly say you’re not doing something, many clients will assume you are.

FAQ: examples of scope of work for social media management

Q1: What are some basic examples of scope of work for social media management for small businesses?
For a small local business, a simple SOW might include 8–12 posts per month on one or two platforms (often Instagram and Facebook), basic community management during business hours, and a short monthly report. The SOW would specify tasks like writing captions, sourcing images from the client, scheduling posts, and responding to simple questions (hours, location, menu, etc.). Anything beyond that—like paid ads or video production—would be listed as outside the current scope.

Q2: Can you give an example of scope of work for social media management that includes paid ads?
Yes. You might state that you will create up to a certain number of ad campaigns per month, write ad copy and basic creative briefs, set and adjust targeting, monitor performance at a defined frequency (e.g., twice per week), and provide a monthly ad performance report. You would also clarify whether the client or the contractor is responsible for paying the ad platforms directly and set a minimum or maximum monthly ad spend.

Q3: How detailed should my SOW be for a long-term social media retainer?
The longer the engagement, the more specific your SOW should be. Use the best examples of scope of work for social media management above as a baseline: define posting frequency, formats, approval timelines, reporting cadence, and clear exclusions. For multi-year contracts, many freelancers add a clause allowing scope and fees to be reviewed annually so you can adjust for platform changes and workload.

Q4: Do I need different SOWs for each social platform?
Not necessarily, but it often helps to break out responsibilities by platform within a single SOW. For example, you might state that you post 3 times per week on Instagram, 2 times per week on LinkedIn, and 1 time per week on YouTube, each with different content types. That way, if a client later adds TikTok or another channel, you can update the SOW and pricing to reflect the extra work.

Q5: Where can I find more real examples of scope of work for social media management?
Professional associations, business development centers, and some universities share sample contract language and marketing templates. For instance, the U.S. Small Business Administration offers guidance on working with marketing professionals and agencies, which you can adapt to social media agreements (sba.gov). Pair those resources with the examples in this article, and you’ll have a solid starting point for your own SOW templates.

Use these examples of scope of work for social media management as building blocks, not rigid rules. The goal is a written agreement that reflects how you actually work, sets fair expectations, and gives both you and your clients something clear to point to when scope questions come up.